Port of Oakland seeks injunction to curb truckers’ protests

Police pushed truckers and other protesters ouf of a terminal driveway at the Port of Oakland during a demonstration on Oct. 21. The port says an injunction is necessary to prevent activists from obstructing cargo traffic.

Officials at the Port of Oakland have filed for an injunction against independent truckers who have twice forced the port to shut down since August.

Port Spokeswoman Marilyn Sandifur said the injunction is solely intended to prevent the truckers from obstructing the flow of cargo traffic. She said it would bar them from staging protests in roads and driveways outside the port’s terminals.

“The protesters have a right to exercise their First Amendment rights,” she said. “They will continue to be allowed to conduct demonstrations as long as it doesn’t illegally block access to port facilities.”

Owners of perishable meat and crop cargoes fear that delays could cause spoilage and lost business, the port said in its court filings.